1. The first pass on the new nebula code is done. Nebulae are implemented as a hex grid. This will prevent problems such as gaps when crossing nebula types. I've also fixed the bug with nav paths outside the map.

2. I will continue to work on trying to make the nebula better and more organic (I tried a Voronoi grid originally, but couldn't get the performance good enough). I'll try to add some fractals to the hex edges and see if that helps.

Nice. I'm testing on the Alpha now as Commonwealth of Man, capital name Unity - and the galactic map indicates I'm somewhere to the far west.

WTV that looks horrendous. Did you spawn in a nebula? Must be due to the new nebula changes, either that or that beige color is the new light nebula color? Try respawning out of one and see if it persists. FWIW I'm not getting that weird display glitch, and I'm in open space.

Did we ever reach any kind of consensus on what should be done to units?

I wouldn't be concerned about there not being many people in the alpha; it's not particularly playable because of the background color overlay issues. I've confirmed that some of the pushed changes are working as expected (jumpbeacon build times, defenses destroying to lower-TL equivalents, some changes to deposti oders) and at least one is not (starports do not destroy to spaceports as expected).

Did we ever reach any kind of consensus on what should be done to units?

I wouldn't be concerned about there not being many people in the alpha; it's not particularly playable because of the background color overlay issues. I've confirmed that some of the pushed changes are working as expected (jumpbeacon build times, defenses destroying to lower-TL equivalents, some changes to deposti oders) and at least one is not (starports do not destroy to spaceports as expected).

I don't think there's consensus, but I think we need a warp-speed transport (buildable by starship yards) and a ramship transport.

I think most regulars agreed in page 2 of this thread that starships should have lightly increased speeds to 1 LY/min. That should also "solve" the bug of very slow fleets (i.e. starships at 0.1 LY/min) being able to be attacked without retaliation if they are a few watches away from arriving at a world.

A warp-transport and ramjet-transport would both be excellent new units. They should probably have larger capacity (3x?) than jumptransports to compensate for reduced speed and "terrain" restriction (for ramjets).

Reducing the exploration region resolution seems like a good change visually, although it can now be harder to distinguish between unexplored space and dark nebulae seeing as they have the same grid shape and (almost) exactly the same color. Perhaps the dark nebulae colors could be lightened a bit to #660066 maybe? A dark purplish color which contrasts nicely with the light pink nebula and doesn't blend in with the black unexplored space color.

I still worry that 1ly/w is too fast for capships as long as citadels remain baitable (and all capiial ships retain missile protection), but it's worth trying it at least. Capships should ideally be a threat that you can see coming.

What do people think about my scheme to either a) strengthen low-tl ship's armor and attack, so that high and low TL classes are primarily distinguished by the power of their secondary abilities like speed, pointDef and AoE, or b) make high and low TL classes have comparable secondary abilities and be primarily distinguished by armor and Attack strength?

Reducing the exploration region resolution seems like a good change visually, although it can now be harder to distinguish between unexplored space and dark nebulae seeing as they have the same grid shape and (almost) exactly the same color. Perhaps the dark nebulae colors could be lightened a bit to #660066 maybe? A dark purplish color which contrasts nicely with the light pink nebula and doesn't blend in with the black unexplored space color.

Made a quick survey here to confirm if users wanted an increase to starship speeds, and if so, by how much.

Were there other stat changes to units that were being suggested? We can make a poll for each of them also, easy to see what the majority of other users think as they can quickly click a button, not just the few forums regulars who write about stuff.